This invention relates to an adjustable reading lamp and, in particular, to an adjustable reading lamp that is suitable for attachment to a piece of furniture such as a chair or the like.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,833,502, adjustable reading lamps that are capable of being attached to the back of a chair or any other suitable piece of furniture have been known and used for some time. Typically, these prior art lamps are relatively large and bulky devices which are clamped or screwed to the back of a chair without regard to the inclination of the mounting surface. As a consequence, the overall posture or alignment of the lamp oftentimes is offset at an odd angle thereby presenting a rather unsightly assemblage which distracts from the overall appearance of the surroundings in which the lamp is placed.
Moreover, and possibly more importantly, many prior art lamps of this type, although being complex in construction, fail to deliver a full range of adjustments that are needed to permit the user to direct illumination into a desired viewing plane or region. A full range of adjustments is particularly important when the lamp is mounted upon the back of a chair and is used in an attempt to direct light in an unimpeded manner into the reading or working plane of a person seated in the chair. As can be seen, an improperly positioned lamp, under these conditions, can produce shadowing or other lighting defects in the viewing region whereby the lamp is rendered unsuitable to carry out the intended lighting task.